Saturday, March 24, 2007

Though not on the same scale as Tokyo Tower, Nagoya's TV Tower can lay claim to being the first broadcasting tower of its kind to be built in Japan. The TV Tower in Sakae was completed in 1954, four years before Tokyo Tower.

Nagoya TV Tower is 180m in height and broadcasts waves for 5 TV stations from its antenna. There are two observation decks at 90m and 100m - one inside and the other outside. The inside sky deck has comfortable seating and a small coffee bar. Climb up the stairs to reach the exterior sky deck.
The 4th floor has a restaurant - the Tower Restaurant Nagoya - and a small gallery. The tower is illuminated at night and is a well-known Nagoya landmark.
Admission to the TV Tower is from 10.00am-9.00pm and costs 600 yen for adults.

There are a number of bars and small eateries just outside the entrance of the tower.
Located in Nagoya's main entertainment area of Sakae, the tower offers good views of the city below.

Easily visible is Oasis 21, a new concrete and laminated glass shopping center, outdoor park and the entrance to Sakae bus terminal. Oasis 21 opened in 2002 and was designed by Casai Hideki. There is a tourist information center in the complex as well as numerous restaurants and shopping outlets. It worth taking the elevator or stairs up to the Aquapark which is supposed to act as a giant humidifier.
The Aichi Arts Center and the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art are housed in the tall Aichi Arts Center building adjacent to Oasis 21.